Miko Soul and Demon Heart
by Ryuu Madoshi
Summary: Aftermath of a battle, injured strangers, and new friends.
1. Default Chapter

Hey Everyone, I'm new here so it may take a little while for my stories to be good enough to actually read, but I promise to try as hard as I can to have regular updates, but high school is a pain, -_-. Anyways, this is just the prologue so I apologize that it is so short and the rating probably wont stay G, so just a forewarning. 

Prologue: The Story

__

"Listen carefully my children

for the story you are about to hear 

is one of your family's finest ancestors. 

Though if you look around the world

today you hear that what I have

to tell you isn't true, however they

do not know what they talk of. 

They are merely human

mortals and do not know of the

true power that our family possesses. 

But you also mustn't tell

anyone of what I'm telling you

for they are like frightened animals

who when startled react

upon their instincts only. 

So gather around my children

and listen to my story of the classical fight

between good and evil, between choosing

your heart or another's life; my tale of 

deception, true love, great friendship, 

an evil which you'll never see, and the 

salvation of the world as we know it. 

Come and fall into the lives of 

Kagome and Sesshoumaru, 

the two greatest youkais that ever lived."


	2. The Beginning

Okay, so here is the first chapter chapter. It's not as long as I would like, plus its kinda boring but it is informational you could say. Also excuse the bad grammar (I'm horrible at it) and if I did any of the Japanese wrong, forgive that too, I'm still trying to learn. -_- But I hope that it's an okay beginning but if it's not go ahead and tell me, I appreciate all comments, compliments, and complaints. 

Chapter 1: The Beginning

The small raven haired koneko youkai jumped up and down in anticipation as she watched her maids pack a few of her belongings and walk out of the room to the awaiting guard in the courtyard in front of the palace that belonged to the Lord of the Eastern Kingdom, Higurashi-sama. She took a quick glance around her room to make sure she didn't forget anything, then the eight year old ran out of the room and towards the voice that was calling her name. She easily navigated her way through the halls and rushed out of the main doors and into the bright sun. 

"There you are Kagome. What do you think you were doing making your father wait like that. Now hurry up, and make sure you remember your manners," the koneko's mother said sternly, before giving her a quick kiss and ushering her to her own small pony. 

"Wait, kaa-san, where is Souta?" the girl looked around for her younger brother hopping to not only say good bye but also make him jealous because she was able to go with their father and he wasn't. She couldn't help but love to rub things in her young sibling's face and not usually in the literal sense.

"He is inside so he won't get in anybody's way," however the look the woman was giving her clearly stated that he was inside so he wouldn't throw a temper tantrum like all three years old did. And so that Kagome didn't agitate him and make his bad mood worse. "Now stop asking questions and get on your horse." 

Kagome opened her mouth to reply about the little fact that her "horse" was a pony, just to make her mother even more annoyed. Kagome liked it when adults lost their calm, it was hilarious to watch even if she got in trouble afterwards. Before she could two strong arms picked her up and placed her on her "horse" and made sure that she safely put. She watched as her father walked to his own horse. 

The fact that her father rarely ever lost his temper was probably why she respected him so much. She wanted to be like her father in everyway. Kagome watched attentively as her father mounted his horse, and was fascinated by how he looked at ease on such an awkward creature. He turned to his mate who had followed him, and whispered his good byes before sitting comfortably on his mount. Kagome did the same. Higurashi-sama nodded to the bystanders. Kagome mimicked the action. Then the train of the royal bodyguards began to move. 

Kagome made sure to stay close enough to her father to easily see him, but far enough so that he wouldn't see her. It wasn't that long into the trip when Kagome got bored of mimicking her father to the perfect detail and let her young mind and youthful eyes wander around the surrounding scenery. She didn't realize before that they were so close to the ocean. There was a small bay of water where her home was but it was nothing compared to the grand scale of what she was seeing. Her small furry black tail began to swish in excitement. It looked to her as if the whole world was covered in water, then all she had to do was turn her head the other way and she saw forests and villages and farms. 

It was true that Japan was surrounded by water but the Eastern Lands were know for their great quaintly and quality of water. Just like the North was renown for their great trees and forests, the West their mountains that were great for defense, and the South for their great farming plains. Even though all of the lands had something of everything, they also had a unique feature that made it special. And as Kagome looked out among the endless blue that sparkled in the sunlight, she couldn't be more proud of becoming the heir to such a grand place. 

This was the first time she was actually traveling outside her father's domain. She was so excited about meeting another Taiyoukai and his family. Actually she was going to meet all three other Taiyoukais this trip. They were going to a meeting where the four Great Taiyoukais got together to discuss about the economy and possible enemies and other such subjects. But she really wanted to meet all the other heirs. Her tou-san said she was special because she was going to be the only female heir. 

Her mind wandered as did her eyes throughout the day and into the evening. Finally the party had to stop for the night and began to set up camp along one of the roads that lead throughout the whole land. Little Kagome hopped off her pony and began to wander through the rising camp but it wasn't long before her attention was drawn to the meadow the road ran through. She inhaled sharply when she got a good look at the pretty flowers the meadow had. With her mind set on the aromatic plants she began to pick all the different kinds. But something caught her eyes near the other side of the field. 

She looked back towards the camp to see if anyone was paying attention to her. She smiled, placed her flowers on the ground, and ducked beneath the grass when she realized that she was free from any attention. She began to crawl towards the thing she saw, occasionally surfacing to see if she was heading in the right direction. As she got closer she began to crouch lower to the ground and tried using her other senses instead of her eyes. 

Kagome heard some rustling and prepared to strike. Her little claws were digging into the ground and she was concentrating on focusing her energy for the jump. Finally she did just that, and went soaring through the air to her target. But she immediately tried to stop when she realized she was attacking another youkai. And judging by the red eyes, it wasn't happy. She quickly landed a little away from the red-eye youkai and began to run back to the camp, but the thing was following her as well. 

Just when she thought she was going to be safe she caught her foot in a hole and she fell to the hard earth. She cried out and covered her head with her hands, waiting for the thing to jump on her. She was saved however, when someone picked her up off the dirt and held her close. She immediately buried her head in the person shoulder. She heard the thing talk though she couldn't make out the words, it sounded as angry as it looked. Then she realized it was her otou-san who held her, "Gomen nasai, I promise it won't happen again." 

The thing snorted and walked away. Higurashi-sama put his daughter down and looked at her sternly, "What were doing out here young lady?" 

She quickly looked to the side and scooped up some flowers, "Picking pretty flowers." 

She looked up shyly to her otou-san, and held out the plants to him. He sighed, and took them from her. "Kagome, you can't go attacking people like that. Some could be dangerous, whether their human or not. You're lucky that was just a mother trying to defend her children." 

The little neko youkai sniffled, "Gomen, tou-san. I didn't know I was bothering anybody." 

The Taiyoukai sighed again and took his daughter's hand and lead her back to camp, "We'll get you cleaned up and then have some dinner, but after I want you to go straight to bed, understand?"

It was the young girl's turn to sigh, "Hai, tou-san."

They started out early the next day; this time Kagome was watched very carefully. So that meant she could not wander off during the trip but had to remain safely within the group. She sighed and looked over to one of the guards, "Hiten-san, are we almost there?" 

The grown lightening-youkai looked up from his walking and gave her a small smile. He and his brother used to be bandits, and were infamous among the humans for they seemed as if they couldn't be beaten. One day they found a group they couldn't rob; it turns out it was a team under Higurashi-sama. They tried attacking and the soldiers thought they were trying to attack the Taiyoukai and tried to defend him. They did just that but in the process killed Maten, Hiten's younger brother, before Higurashi could call off his guards. As an apology for the loss of his brother, the neko-youkai offered his own protection to Hiten.

At the time, he could do nothing because he was to badly injured to respond. So Higurashi took him back to his palace and he was seriously ill for weeks afterwards. This, however, worked in the favor of the neko lord because this showed Hiten the kindness and the nobility of the Taiyoukai. It was inevitable that Higurashi would gain another magnificent and loyal warrior. "Don't worry so much, Kagome-sama, we should be arriving soon."

Kagome beamed at the polite tone he used with her. It made her feel like she was the Lady of the East. Which in a way she was seeing as how she was Higurashi's heir.

Hiten was right, as soon as the sun stopped rising in the sky and began its descent, Kagome was able to see a castle bigger than her own, surrounded by beautiful meadows, much like the one she was in. She stared around in awe at the site until Hiten laughed and told her to look at the castle once more. She did and she saw a small group gathered outside. She asked him who were the people standing by the front entrance. He looked up at her with a puzzled expression, "Don't you pay attention in your studies? That is the Taiyoukai of the South and his family."

She looked more closely as they neared and gasped when she saw that weren't neko-youkais. Hiten again chuckled, "Not all of the royal families are."

Kagome looked at him appalled, "But they're kistunes! Otou-san has to work with a kistune?" 

The way the guard looked at her made her blush in embarrassment, "What _do_ you do when in your studies?"

Kagome grew even more red, and stuttered "I…I pay attention." But that wasn't the exact truth, she would much rather be out training with the warriors than inside learning from books. She knew it was necessary though if she wanted to be a successful Taiyoukai, but she couldn't help but be bored by some of the subjects. Hiten just shook his head and remained silent, as did she, for the rest of the travel. 

It wasn't long before the whole group was standing in front of the massive palace and before the royal kistune family. Kagome was helped off her horse and lead to her father who was talking with the one who could only be the father and Taiyoukai. Her father turned to her and she took his offered hand and tried to stay hidden behind his legs. She has heard a lot of rumors about kistunes in general. Both bad and good things, so she didn't know what to expect. 

The family standing before her didn't look very mean, in fact they looked like a normal family. The Taiyoukai and his wife and their children, a son, _he must be the heir,_ Kagome thought, little girl standing behind her Okaa-san's legs, and the woman was holding what appeared to be twins. Her tou-san pulled her in front of him, and she looked up at the rather short man before her. 

"Kagome, this is Sakamoto-sama, a dear friend of mine, and this is his family," Higurashi introduced, pointing to each one as he presented them. She greeted each one with courtesy but her eyes remained on the boy. 

He looked about the same age as her maybe a bit older. He had deep green eyes like his father but had the golden-red hair of his mother, and like Kagome he was to young to have markings on his face, but he did have a short bushy tail. The markings, if a demon had any, showed maturity, but judging by the father, he would most likely not have any markings at all, except for the green diamond that was probably hiding behind his hair and on his neck, which would show that he was the heir. 

He starred back at her, his eyes judging her like she did him. The kit was the one to break the silence, "Judging by the tail, I'd say you were a cat demon, but cat demons are supposed to be powerful. You don't look that strong to me." 

Kagome glared at the fox, and retorted, almost mimicking him, "Judging by the tail, I'd say you were a kitsune, but kitsunes are supposed to be cunning, but you don't look all that clever to me." 

The boy glared right back at her, and they could both hear some muffled laughing coming from the ones that surrounded them but they ignored it, both more content with trying to burn holes in each others head with only their eyes. If it weren't for the parents they probably would have stayed that way all night, but luckily the were split apart and ushered inside, where they would await the other Taiyoukais to arrive. 

Kagome sat in her bed for the fourth night in a row unable to sleep. The Taiyoukai of the West arrived the same day her tou-san and her did, but the Northern Lord didn't arrive till the day after. They didn't even bring their children, so Kagome didn't even get to meet them. Plus she was bored and the boredom lead her to realize she was homesick.

She stayed in her temporary room most of the time, and she didn't get along with the kit, Shippo at all. Every time they saw each other it was like a miniature war would break out, so the adults decided it was best if they were kept separated. 

She got up off her bed and began pacing around her bedroom. It wasn't fair! She wanted to go home and play with her friends and her brother. She wanted to sleep in her own bed and wander around her home. She would even pay attention to her studies if it meant she could back to her house. She couldn't tell her tou-san that though. He was in meetings most of the time, either that or he was to tired. Lord, what did they do all day anyways!

Kagome looked out her window and into a garden below. _Ok, time to get some fresh air_, she decided as she made her way to the bedroom door, and opened it slowly, carefully checking for any people. So when she knew that no one would hear her she silently slipped out the door and into the hallway. She kept to the shadows and made as little noise as possible, but that wasn't hard considering she has had much practice at her own palace. However since this wasn't her house she soon lost her way and began wandering the dark passageways trying to find a way outside. 

She jumped when she heard a voice behind her, "You'll wander around till dawn if you keep this pace up." 

She regained her composure, and turned her angry gaze to the deep green eyes of the kitsune pup. "What are you doing out of bed?" Kagome hissed at him, trying to hear if anyone had woken up. 

"This is MY house. I should be asking what are YOU doing out of bed? Not sneaking around are you?" Kagome was going to give an outraged comeback but she realized her wandering was looking quite suspicious and if she were in his position she would be asking the same thing.

It has happened in the past where a ruler and heir would make a friendly journey to an ally for some reason or another. While the ruler was busy distracting everybody, the heir would sneak around and try to learn of some secrets that would be useful to the ruler. Though it hasn't happened in recent times, it still doesn't mean that that type of technique wouldn't be used again. 

Kagome's gaze softened a bit, and she replied gently, "I was trying to find my way outside to the gardens but I got lost and couldn't find my way out." 

Shippo released his glare but he narrowed his eyes, "Why do you want to visit the gardens at this time of night?" He was still suspicious of her and wouldn't let her continue easily. 

Kagome's cheeks turned a pale pink with embarrassment, but the dark covered it up well. "I-I'm homesick, I thought some flowers and fresh air would help me feel better." 

Shippo eyes turned from accusing to understanding, "This way, we'll talk outside. Try to keep quiet." Kagome nodded her head, and as quiet as a mouse as she followed Shippo through the winding passages until they came to a door. They both pushed but stopped when it made a loud creaking noise. They stood as silent as statues for a few moments before continuing. Soon as they entered the gardens the breath that they've been holding was finally released.

They walked over to the fountain that was in the middle of the gardens and sat down. Both of them sitting on the ledge, but Kagome was looking down at the water as Shippo was looking at the stars. Each of them wondering why they weren't at each others throats like they've been before. 

Shippo was the one to break the awkward silence, "So you were out of bed because you were homesick?" 

Kagome rolled her eyes because she already said that, but at least he was trying to make some sort of conversation. She hesitated a second but finally responded, "I know it seems kinda of weak but I miss my kaa-san and brother, even though I have otou-san with me." 

Shippo stopped looking at the stars but instead at Kagome, and Kagome looked up from the water. The stayed quiet like that, looking at each other and questioning themselves. Shippo than smiled, not a triumphant smile like when someone finds a weakness to exploit but a smile that said the person has been through the same thing, "It's not weak. My tou-san took me to visit with one of the lesser lords a couple of weeks ago, and we stayed there for only two days, but it was enough because I felt like I was going to die if I didn't get home." 

Kagome returned the smile, "Was that your first time away from home?" 

He sighed, "Hai, and I don't think I ever want to leave. But when I told him he said that my responsibilities as an heir would make me, and I couldn't stay home forever." 

Kagome nodded, "I got the same thing when I said I didn't want to go. He then told me all the different things I would see and I got excited. I thought I would be an adventure, but it's so boring! If this is what being a Taiyoukai is like than I don't want to get older."

"Hai, I already turned nine, and it seems as if my parents want me to be even older."

Kagome pouted, "I'm going to nine in a two months."

Shippo laughed, "So that means I'm six moths older than you."

"That's not a lot," Kagome huffed.

Shippo's gaze returned to the sky while Kagome's returned to the waters. This time a comfortable silence fell upon the two. "Do you ever what it would be like to be normal? You know not of royal blood?" Kagome asked for the thought had occurred to her many times in her life.

"Hai, but I don't think I would want to be." He smiled at her, "If I was than I wouldn't get such great food to eat."

For some reason, though it wasn't funny, they both burst out laughing until they were clutching their sides trying to breath. The pressure of maintaining a royal appearance was taken away since they both knew that it didn't matter between them. It was like some unspoken agreement. When they finally quieted down and caught their breath they returned to talking. 

It was surprising how two kids who seemed to hate each other could find so much in common with one another. Once they began talking it appeared as if they would never stop. They talked about their families to their studies to their thoughts on the future. "You know what this means then?" Kagome asked the kitsune pup with a fake sigh of resentment. 

"That we're now friends." Shippo stated, shaking his head in mock disgust. Kagome nodded and gave him friendly smile. Shippo gladly returned the smile. Both laughed when she yawned and decide that it was time to go to be, but both were too tired to get up.

So Kagome lied out on the edge of the fountain, covering herself with her tail. Shippo positioned himself on the ground and made himself comfortable. Soon both were fast asleep, and thankful that they both found a friend who understood. That was the way the frightened parents and servants found them the next morning, both lying near the fountain sleeping soundly. 

As soon as the parents came upon the site they smiled at each other, knowing that a friendship had been found during the night. So they parents gently awoke the sleeping children and scolded them for worrying everybody. 

When it came time for Kagome and her out-san to actually leave, she was surprised by the fact hat she didn't want to go back. But both Higurashi-sama and Sakamoto-sama promised the children that they would be able to visit each other if they wished. They smiled and nodded eagerly. No matter how many friends they would make over the years, the friendship they formed would certainly last a lifetime and for a youkai that was a considerably long time. 

*Okay so that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it's not up to me. So would you like me continue or not? That's all I'm asking for at the moment. So PLEASE let me know cause it would be a waste it I continued and no one was reading it. Thank You!

~Ryuu Madoshi


	3. Goldeneyed Stranger

Okay, firstly I would like to dedicate this chapter to AleuFireGoddess, since she was my very first review. I'm just glad she didn't flame me. *gives sigh of relief* Anyways, again thank you for your _very _generous review, Aleu. I certainly didn't think anyone would even like my story. And no this is not a Shippo/ Kagome story, even those are cute and all (when Shippo isn't as young as he is, of course), but I also am I HUGE fan of Sesshoumaru and Kagome, so it will be kinda obvious that this will be a Fluffy/ Kagome centered story. So enjoy!

Secondly, I forgot the disclaimer in previous chapters, but I don't in any way own Inuyasha or its characters. 

It was right after Kagome and Shippo had turned eleven; three years after they met and became friends. Once or twice a month either Shippo or Kagome would take a trip to see each other and they would spend a week together. Their parents didn't mind taking a week out of their schedule so that their children could play together. 

The adults were planning for their children's official announcement as their heirs to the throne. Though they began planning right after Shippo turned eleven, the celebration wasn't to occur until Kagome had turned eleven also. That way everything would even out and they wouldn't have to arrange two separate parties for the young youkais. 

Even though it would seem obvious who the successors were most kings liked to keep that information under their tight security so that no one would try to harm their children. Plus, the ceremony was a tradition among royal society. So it would be quite a surprise to most when they found out that a young girl was to become the next Taiyoukai of the East. It would also be unfair to say that they were children for both Shippo and Kagome were looking more and more like adult demons as they grew. 

Shippo wasn't gaining any markings but his bushy tail grew to more of a foxtail. His hair took on more gold and his tail took on a whiter appearance but still contained more of the golden-red like his hair. His eyes were also changing and instead of being the deep green that they were they were a vibrant, grass green, and he would soon begin taking on a more manly figure. 

Kagome was also changing. Her hair which had been a dull black and turned into a midnight bluish-black, and her eyes went from brown to crystal clear blue. Unlike Shippo she had gained markings on her face; they were a deep mauve color and appeared around her upper eyelids and along her cheekbone and two smaller lines beneath that. Her tail had also changed; it was the same color as her hair and silky soft and it grew considerably, and she would be taking on a more womanly look. 

Kagome and Shippo's parents knew that their children had finally reached their coming to age when both of them changed into their true youkai forms. Shippo's family had been visiting the Higurashi family in order to make more arrangements for the up coming celebration. 

The children had been playing in the garden when one of the servants came running in screaming about of youkais possessing the children's bodies. The parents were skeptical considering that their children were already youkais but they followed none the less. 

They were surprised to see two transformed youkais standing in the garden. One was a kitsune the size of a horse, with golden-red fur and snowy white paws and nose and there was white around the eyes and the tip of the tail and on the chest, and it had jade green eyes. It was showing its pearly white teeth at the creature standing next to it. 

The other animal was a midnight black neko with dark blue streaking its fur, light blue eyes that were just like a normal neko's. It was also the size of a horse, maybe a bit bigger, and its back was arched and was hissing at the kitsune before it.

Higurashi-sama immediately knew of the youkais that "possessed" young Shippo and little Kagome. He walked over to the demons and called to get their attention. The two stopped their stand-off to look at him with curious eyes. 

"All right you two, stop showing off and return to your ningen forms," Higurashi-sama exclaimed. The two youkais looked back at each other, staring closely at one another than examined themselves. They returned their gaze to the lord with pleading eyes. 

Since neither of them turned eighteen, which was the age a youkai stopped growing and gaining their powers, they couldn't project their thoughts to the lord's mind and so they just looked at him. That was when Sakamoto-sama came to stand next to his friend. "Quite impressive, though I wonder why Kagome changed so early?" 

Higurashi-sama turned his gaze to the kitsune lord, "It's probably because she was in the presence of a changing demon who was close to her and it somehow awoken her own youki." The red haired man nodded his head. 

"Maybe you should try telling them how to change back, dear," Kagome's okaa-san yelled when she realized her little girl was still a giant neko. 

The older neko-youkai looked from his mate to his daughter and then walked up to the two transformed children with Sakamoto right behind him. He stood in front of Kagome while Sakamoto placed himself in front of Shippo. 

"All right, Kagome, you changed into a youkai and you should be able to change back. All you have to do is find the source of your youki strength and try to contain its power. Don't worry; it should be easier than it sounds. Just concentrate." 

The koneko-youkai that was Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated, Shippo followed suite. Suddenly a yellow-green light enveloped Shippo and shrank showing that he was returning to his ningen form; when the light faded the more mature Shippo appeared.

He turned smiling towards Kagome's direction but the smile was quickly replaced with a frown. His friend still hadn't changed back into a ningen. Kagome slowly opened her eyes thinking see was going to be herself again. She looked around, and her eyes widened in distress when she realized that she was still a neko-youkai. 

She frantically looked about, and saw Shippo in his new ningen form. Kagome quickly closed her eyes again and tried to concentrate but was so worried over the fact that she might not be able to change that she began to panic. Usually when a youkais panics it runs away…or goes into a killing rampage, but that isn't what Kagome did thankfully. Instead she ran off towards that palace walls and cleared in a single jump and than was out of sight. 

Shippo quickly turned to his otou-san, terrified he cried, "Tou-san, why isn't Kagome a ningen? What happened?" 

Before Sakamoto could respond, a flash of blue surround Higurashi-sama, and he transformed into a giant cat, but was with streaks of silver fur in the main black color. He too bounded over the palace walls and ran off after his daughter. Shippo turned back to his father; tears threatened to spill. 

The mighty kitstune took his son into his arms, and held him close, "Don't worry, Higurashi will find Kagome. When a youkai changes into its true form too early, sometimes they're not able to change back for awhile. Kagome wasn't supposed to change until after her eleventh birthday, but …" 

He stopped; he didn't want to tell his son that if Kagome hadn't been near him than she would never have changed. He knew if he told his son this Shippo would think it was his fault. 

Shippo pulled his tear stained face out of the lord's clothes and looked up at his otou-san, "But what, tou-san? If Kagome wasn't around me than this wouldn't have happened? Is it my fault this happened to her?" 

Fresh tears fell from his face. Sakamoto patted his son's head and reassured him, "It's not your fault, Shippo. No one knew you would change when you did. If we did than the proper procedures would have been taken." 

Shippo heard Kagome's younger brother, Souta, crying for his sister, insisting to know what happened to her. Shippo hid his face deeper in the man's clothes; he wasn't able to look at the other people in the garden in case they blamed him for what happened to Kagome. 

So Sakamoto-sama picked up Shippo and walked over to the fountain and sat down to wait. Kagome's okaa-san took Souta inside and the rest who witnessed what happened went in also; leaving the Kagome's best friend and his father waiting for the two missing cat demons to return. 

So they waited, and soon it began to grow dark and both of the kitstune-youkais began to grow even more worried. That is when they heard yelling coming from the front courtyard and they quickly headed in that direction. Shippo got there first and saw an unconscious, and newly transformed Kagome lying in Higurashi-sama's arms. The servants cleared the area as soon as Sakamoto entered. He saw that little Kagome had changed into her new ningen form but she also looked a bit beaten up. 

He looked at his friend, who was looking at his daughter in regret, "She put up a fight didn't she?" 

He noticed that the neko also had a couple bruises. Higurashi looked to Kagome than to Shippo than to Sakamoto, "When I found her she was surrounded by lower demons. Usually that wouldn't a problem but she has had no training so she wasn't fairing well. I defeated the demons easily but she than turned on me. There was nothing else I could do." He looked back towards Kagome.

Shippo gave out a whimper; his friend was hurt because of him, and so was her otou-san. He put them both in danger because he transformed in front of Kagome. Higurashi heard Shippo and looked towards him and saw silent tears streaming down his face. He handed his daughter to his friend and went over to the crying pup. All Shippo could do was bow his head in shame. 

"Shippo, this isn't your mistake. I don't blame you and I know that Kagome doesn't either. What would she say if she saw you crying because of something that was an accident." Higurashi quietly told the boy. 

Shippo wiped away his tears, and gave a weak smile, "She would tell me that strong youkais don't cry over spilt blood." 

The man smiled and ruffled the child's hair before retrieving his own child. He lead the small group to Kagome's room were he set her down on her bed. 

The three waited while a healer attended to Kagome's injuries. Everyone came to check up on her, but Shippo stayed by her side the whole time. No one could persuade him to go back to his own room and rest. So his mother and Higurashi tried to make him as comfortable as possible. Then they quietly left him to watch over Kagome. 

"They would make wonderful mates," Shippo's kaa-san said quietly. 

Higurashi agreed with the woman, but both knew that their children had a friendship so deep that becoming mates would only cause harm to the relationship they've established, so no one had ever pressure the young demons to fall in love with each other. Which was a good thing because fate had something else in store for the two friends. 

Shippo stayed by Kagome's side until she woke up a day later. Kagome was happy that Shippo had been there when she awoke but when he told her that he was sorry, she immediately told him to take it back. Shippo was startled by this this but some part of him knew that it would happen and was grateful.

"You know it wasn't your fault, so why are you apologizing?" she continued, not even giving Shippo a chance to explain, "You know better than that. It wasn't your fault that I happened to be around when you transformed. Now take that sorry back because I won't have it." 

Shippo smiled thankfully and revoked his request for forgiveness. Kagome gave a triumphant smile, "Now, what about food? I'm starving!" and her stomach obviously agreed with her because it gave off a loud rumble that made both children go into a fit of laughter. 

So Kagome quickly got dressed and they headed of to lunch since Kagome missed breakfast. Everyone was relived to see that Kagome was well again, and soon things returned to normal, or as normal as things could be. 

The preparations for the celebration resumed once again and everyone waited anxiously for that joyous day to come. Especially Shippo and Kagome who've both been waiting to meet the other two heirs that were sure to attend to their party. So as the day for the gathering drew near the anticipation rose. 

The two lords held the party at the Eastern palace because it was located in a more covenant place for their guests. The guests basically consisted of lords or powerful people of the lands. But the real guests were the Western lord and the Northern Lord and their heirs. 

The Western Taiyoukai was Inutaisho, an inu-youkai, and the North was Asahiko, a tori-youkai (A/N: is that how you say bird demon? Also please forgive my horrible Japanese). Both lords already proclaimed their heirs. Lord Inutaisho's heir was his eldest son Sesshoumaru, while Lord Asahiko's heir was also his older son, Hojo. 

It all took place about a week after Kagome's eleventh birthday. The Eastern palace never looked more radiant. Decorations were everywhere, and small appetizers were placed out on four long tables that would later hold everyone's dinner. The celebration was to start in an hour or so before noon; not many guests arrived at first, which made the two heirs nervous about whether or not people would attend. 

But their worry diminished when they saw all the children that were arriving. Lord Sakamoto made a comment on how the families with young children usually arrived first while the people who were higher up tended to be "fashionably" late. 

Kagome and Shippo could care less when they realized their were enough children to play tag, and hide and go seek. So they sped off to collect the others while Lord Higurashi and Lord Sakamoto just stood there and shook their heads. 

"Oh isn't that nice. It's their party and they're allowed to miss out on the fun part," said Higurashi-sama greeting yet another couple of guests. 

"Oh, yes. Standing around, and greeting guests is so much fun," Sakamoto gave an exasperated replied. 

His feline friend laughed, "Just grin and bare it. They'll have to do this one day." Sakamoto sighed and nodded. 

About half an hour after the first guest arrived the crowds started to thin, but still the two lords waited until the other two Taiyoukais arrived. Just before Lord Sakamoto was going to call it quits, they arrived together. Sakamoto gave a frustrated sigh. He was sort of hoping that nether of the lords showed up. The two lords that were arriving weren't what you considered allies, but they weren't enemies either. 

The first of the two lords walked up, Inutaisho. He was a big youkai with white hair and golden eyes and a purple crescent moon on his forehead. He was accompanied by his older of his two sons, Sesshoumaru, who also had his golden eyes, but the boy had silver hair instead of white. 

The second lord came, Asahiko. He was more of a lanky man, with auburn hair and brownish- red eyes, and upon his forehead was a simple red pointed arrow (A/N think of something like this ' ^ ', only bigger). With him accompanied his oldest son and child out of five, Hojo, who looked a lot like his father. Lord Higurashi judged that Hojo had to be the oldest, maybe nine or ten years older than Kagome and Shippo, while Sesshoumaru looked about seven or eight years older. 

Lord Higurashi smiled at his fellow lords and greeted them kindly, Lord Sakamoto was more hesitant in the greetings. "I see you only brought one child, Asahiko, I'd hate to be you when you get back home," teased the neko Taiyoukai. 

Asahiko laughed, "I more scared of what my mate is going to do with me." 

Inutaisho decided to join in on the teasing, "I can sure give her a few suggestions." Asahiko glared at the inu, than returned his gaze to Sakamoto and Higurashi. 

"Speaking of children, shouldn't there be two little youkais that we need to be introduced to?" 

The two younger youkais looked up expectantly, when the tori asked the question. "Don't tell me you lost them?" Inutaisho asked when the two childless fathers didn't answer. 

Sakamoto scoffed, "No, we just misplaced them." Asahiko laughed, "I know how that goes." 

"He was joking, you baka," the Western lord replied. 

Asahiko laughed again, "I still know what it feels like." 

All three of the lords sighed, concerned whether or not the Northern lord was in fine mental health or not. 

"Excuse me, sirs," interrupted Sesshoumaru, who eyes held fragments of curiosity, "if the two others aren't here then were are they?" 

Higurashi-sama gave the boy a friendly smile, "As soon as I find out, I'll tell you." 

Lord Sakamoto looked around hoping to catch sight of one of the playing children, "Everyone will see them at the banquet when we present them to the others, but they should have been here to at least meet you two." 

He looked back to the two boys than to theirs fathers, "How about we discuss elsewhere. Preferably sitting down." The three other lords laughed while Sakamoto lead them away, leaving the two boys alone. 

Hojo turned to look at the younger boy with a questioning look upon his features, "Why are you so interested meeting the others?"

Sesshoumaru was somewhat surprised by the questions, "Otou-san said that Higurashi-sama's successor was a girl."

Suddenly a look of disgust crossed the young man's features, "A girl, what is that man thinking? You're that man must have lost his senses."

Women while respected by some were regarding as nothing more than pleasure for some and a nuisance to others. Sesshoumaru glared at Hojo, "That's not what I meant, you baka. When was the last time there was a female ruler?" he paused to let his companion think, "Not for a couple centuries. So there must be something special about this girl if Higurashi-sama is going to let her become ruler." 

Hojo snorted and began walked after the adults, Sesshoumaru followed closely, "Iie, she is probably just a little brat who likes to suck up to her otou-san and knows how to get what she wants, and all she wants is to gain control over the East. If you ask me, Higurashi-sama should think about his decision better unless he wants to be regarding as a unwise ruler."

Sesshoumaru just gracefully shrugged his shoulders and ignored the other's continuous ranting on how he felt about the fact a girl might become a Taiyoukai. He instead looked around hoping to catch sight of a girl with a sea blue teardrop which was the Eastern symbol of the royal family on her neck. He instead saw a young girl running straight towards him. 

"Kagome, catch the ball," yelled one of Kagome's new friends, Kirara, a fire youkai and daughter of one of the lesser lords. 

Kirara was a year younger than Kagome, she had soft red hair with hints of white and luminous orange eyes. When Kagome and Shippo first asked her if she wanted to play with them, Kagome could see Shippo's jaw drop. 'I'll just have to think of a way to get those two together.' she thought to herself, knowing that Shippo never acted that way around any girl, and giggling at the thought of her matchmaking. 

"Ok, Kirara. Throw it real far. I'll catch it." She saw Kirara nod and aim, she then saw the ball disappear in the air. She quickly scanned the sky and found it and ran toward the direction it was heading. 

Kagome was paying so much attention to the ball in the sky that she didn't see the young inu-youkai on the ground. 

"Kagome, watch out." Shippo yelled from behind her. 

She turned her head towards him, then back to the ball then finally she looked forwards. She was closing in on a older boy with silver hair and fast. She had to stop before she ran into him, or she knew she would get in trouble. The only problem was that she was running too fast and didn't know how to stop. So she dug her heels in the ground hoping that she could use the friction to stop herself. 

Her plan didn't seem to be working because she was still moving forwards. She just barely stopped when she was right in front of the boy. She almost lost her balance but quickly recovered. However she felt a sharp blow to the back of the head and fell forward anyways. She fell forward and right into a pair of awaiting arms. 

She heard laughter coming from behind her and in front of her but it wasn't coming from the person who holding her. Instead the boy asked softly if she was ok. Kagome untangled herself from the young man's arms, and blushing furiously she nodded. 

"That wasn't supposed to happen," she muttered under her breath, while glaring at the ground. 

"No I didn't think so," said the teenager's voice which held amusement. 

"I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time," Kagome replied refusing to look at the person. 

"It was nothing. I just thought you've been embarrassed enough without having to fall on your face. How's your head?" 

Kagome hesitantly looked up at the person and found herself staring into a pair of golden eyes, "I think I'll survive. Thank you." 

The stranger smiled at her, which made Kagome blush even more to her horror. "Here I think this is yours," the boy said holding out the ball that had nailed her in the head. 

She smiled at him, and took the ball and replied, "If you'll excuse me, I have a friend who has a date with the ground." she flashed another smile at the amused teenager and ran after Kirara who was trying to run away, saying it wasn't her fault. 

Sesshoumaru let out a small laugh, and turned back towards his companion who was smiling but it wasn't a friendly one, but one of arrogance, "Now look there Sesshoumaru. What would happen to the East if a girl like that were took take over? You can't trust any of them with power, they were never meant to serve as rulers."

Suddenly Sesshoumaru felt as if he wanted to hit the young man. It was true that he thought some women were stupid and pathetic even, but some were just as good as men maybe even better. His okaa-san for example, who had actually offered to watch his annoying brother who would surly only get in the way. There were descent women out there, and Hojo was dismissing them all as to incompetent and treated them as a burden. Sesshoumaru thought everyone deserved some respect, it was something his okaa-san had taught him, but this boy didn't respect from anyone. 

'I forgot to ask her what her name was.' He thought suddenly, he also forgot to look for the teardrop on her neck but he completely forgot about the Eastern heir when he saw the girl running blindly towards him. 

The rest of the afternoon passed by quickly and soon the dinner bell rang, and everyone went rushing to the tables. Before the dinner could be served, the new heirs had to be present to the people which every new heir to throne had to do. It was a way of letting others get a glimpse at their future kings and in this case queen. So everyone was not only anxious to see the two new future lords but also get everything done and over with so they could finally eat.

Since Shippo was the older of the two he was presented first. He went up with Sakamoto-sama, and the Taiyoukai gave a formal speech and introduced the others to Shippo and then Shippo had to give a pledge that all new kings gave, and than he drank from a cup of ceremonial tea. The whole process was known by some already and had received a polite applaud from the audience. 

The crowd was expecting another traditional heir and another traditional ceremony. So all most the whole audience was surprised when Higurashi-sama stood before the crowd with a little girl aside him. Sesshoumaru smiled a little when he saw it was the same girl who fell into his arms. However he could see the look of disgust coming from Hojo.

Lord Higurashi was introducing Kagome, when at the same moment he said her name, a man who was sitting by Sesshoumaru, scoffed, "Is this a hoax or something?" 

Sesshoumaru was distracted by the other man and he missed what her name was. He silently glared at the person who hadn't realized what he just done. 

The neko Taiyoukai stepped aside so Kagome could make the pledge like Shippo had. She then took the cup from her otou-san and bowed to the audience before taking a sip of the ceremonial tea which made her scrunch her nose in distaste at the disgusting beverage. 

When she finished their was a silence, not even the crickets chirped. It was then that Kagome began to grow nervous. All of a sudden a women shouted, "Isn't she precious?" 

Right after her someone shouted, "Is this a joke? What's wrong, Higurashi, that you had to pick a girl as your heir?" Then there was laughter. To Kagome, who was so sure that these people would except her because she was faithfully following the guidelines laid down for any Taiyoukai and they were laughing at her because she was a girl. 

She looked around hopping to find someone who wasn't laughing. The only people were her parents, Shippo's parents, Shippo, Kirara, and the stranger with the golden eyes. She looked over to the kids table and was relived though still upset to that they weren't even paying attention. Something inside her changed, as she walked down with her father, defeated and embarrassed. She looked up to her father, tears threatening to spill, and asked if she could be excused early. 

Her father knew it wasn't polite but he didn't care. He saw the determination that his little girl had crushed by these people resting in his daughter's eyes. He wanted to kick all these people out of his palace but he couldn't, he knew that his daughter had learned a valuable lesson but had learned it the hard way: not everyone will except and follow what you say just because you have the power. He excused her and Lord Sakamoto held Shippo back from running after her. The laughter faded as soon as the food was served and no one from the audience even realized she was gone. Of course, except Sesshoumaru. 

Sesshoumaru was absolutely appalled by how his fellow youkais and lords acted. They had no right to laugh at the girl. So when he saw her leave, he gathered two plates and followed silently. He followed her until she came to a cliff over looking the water. She quietly sat down, and began berating herself. Sesshoumaru was just about to introduce himself when it struck him that she wouldn't want formalities just a friend who would comfort her. 

He quietly walked up behind her, than sat down next to her, his feet joining hers in dangling over the edge. He saw her wipe some of the tears from her eyes. She looked up at him, and when she recognized who it was a small sad smile crept across her face. 

Sesshoumaru held out a plate, "You left without getting yourself a plate. I thought you might get hungry." Kagome took that plate gratefully, though she hadn't been worrying about food she knew that she was hungry. 

"Thank you," she replied quietly, she hadn't even bothered to think of asking him for his name. They both began eating in a comfortable silence. 

Halfway through her meal, Kagome asked, "What did I do wrong?" Sesshoumaru looked down at her but her bangs covered her eyes, but they didn't cover up the water droplet that fell to her hand. Sesshoumaru finished eating what he had in his mouth and thought for a second. 

"Absolutely nothing." 

Kagome looked up at him, "Why did they laugh at me?" 

Sesshoumaru sighed, "My mother says that laughter can either relieve the soul or relieve the worry. They were just laughing because they were frightened by the fact you were a girl. The last female ruler completely changed everything, for the better of course, but she had almost complete power, and the other lords don't want t give up the power they have. They're just afraid of what you will do." 

The plates lay forgotten with little tidbits of food left on them. Both were staring out into the sunset, taking every moment to memory. Sesshoumaru felt so relaxed in this girl's presence, he thought it was a bit weird that he was so calm when he was usually tense all the time, that is unless he was with his okaa-san. 

Kagome also felt something she didn't feel with others. She couldn't explain it because she was still to young to know what it meant but never the less what ever it was she liked it. She felt safe but the same time powerful and fearless, and peaceful and it seemed like she couldn't stay in a bad mood when around this golden-eyed stranger. 

She broke the silence, "Why would they be frightened by what I do, am not an adult yet." They had both moved unconsciously closer to each other so that they were almost touching hands. 

"Because they're all bakas, everyone of them," he thought about Hojo and what he had said earlier and for some reason, Sesshoumaru felt anger, "They can't accept change, and when you become a ruler things will change and they don't like that. Like I said, they are just afraid."

Kagome sighed, "What's the point of even becoming the ruler if they laugh at me and won't listen to what I say?" 

Sesshoumaru looked at the girl who was looking the water, "Don't give up so easily," she looked up at him, and saw him gazing intensely at her, "don't let what they say get to you. It isn't fair to you. Who knows you may be the next legendary Taiyoukai. You just need to be stronger and learn to stand on your own. You should at least promise yourself not to give up." 

Kagome smiled, "Hai, I won't. I'll show them all, ne?"

Sesshoumaru looked at her for a moment, before laughing gently and shaking his head, "Hai. I don't think anyone could bring you down." With that he got up and placed a comforting hand on her cheek and looked into her eyes before smiling, "Well, little one, I'll see you around." 

Kagome blushed and the hand that wasn't being held crept to her cheek and rested on top of the other's and stayed there. Sesshoumaru again smiled at her, a smile that seemed only for her, than he took his own hand away from her cheek and gather up the plates, stood and walked off in the direction in which they came. Kagome kept smiling after him, the red had faded, but the burning sensation which she felt when he touched her still lingered. Kagome then turned and watched the sun set and fade away to the stars. 

~Oh wow, another chapter done so quickly, but this is probably going to be the only time I post three chapters *looks at prologue*, okay two¼ chapters, in two days. I really should be studying for finals. -.- Oh well. Sorry for the OOCness but it was necessary (or not?) for the plot. And I really apologize to any Hojo fans for making him a jerk but I really don't like him soooo…yea. Aleu, I hope that you like the little bit a fluff (okay so not really fluff fluff but close right?) and I hope it clears up the whole pairing confusion. Oh yea, please tell me what you think now that a bit more of the story if revealed. Thank You!

~Ryuu Madoshi 


	4. The Nightmare

            For anyone who cares, sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out but I had a little trouble getting the idea from my head to the computer. ::Sigh:: I guess my promise of having regular updates is shot. Oh well, I'll still as try as hard as I can to make sure that my updates aren't too far apart. Key word: try. Anyways, if anyone reading this does like it or hate it or whatever than it would be kinda nice if you told me what you thought. But I'm not desperate for reviews (not yet…) and I won't stop writing (unless you want me to) plus I have the wonderful Aleu-san reviewing for me. I give you my thanks oh fire goddess. ^^ Ok, on with the story!

            Disclaimer: Me own Inuyasha? Yeah right! Not even in my dreams! So don't sure, I'm just borrowing. (Plus if I did own them Kagome wouldn't be falling in love with Inuyasha ::hint, hint:: )

            At one point in every child's life they wonder what it would be like if they lived in a difference place, in a different time. It didn't matter whether if you a ningen or a youkai, nor if you rich or poor. A child goes through life with an innocence that can sometimes be mistaken for ignorance, yet it is the adults who are oblivious. Children lose their innocence because of the world's ignorance, and every child loses their purity in one way or another. That's what makes you an adult, when you learn a lesson of life. For some its causes a drastic change in their destiny, while others can easily brush it off, but there are some were the lessons they've learned are have placed a scar upon their very souls. 

_            A girl sat in the corner of her cell with her legs wrapped around her knees and her head resting on her knees. The thin rags around her body could hardly be called clothing and the poorest of people even had a better living area than the one she was currently occupying. The stone walls were covered in dirt and mold and her own blood. One corner was filled with hay that was supposed to be a crude substitute for a proper toilet. The corner she was sitting in was filled with hay that wasn't very much cleaner than the other and served as a bed but she could never find the comfort to sleep. The only source of light was the slit in the door where the barbaric people who captured her would place her food that didn't even consist of anything edible._

_            The girl herself was in much the same condition. Her hair was filthy from the clumps of dirt and blood that got stuck in it. Her body which was covered in bleeding wounds and healing scars had shrunk from the lack of good nutrition. Her face could no longer support any emotion except for misery and her eyes lost the smile that they usually held. Her whole figure had grown to endure the punishment it received everyday and her mind had forgotten how long it had been since she last saw the life living beyond the walls of her prison. _

_            Her senses were dulled because of the drugs that her captors had given her. She tried to listen to the footsteps outside the door only to find that she was deaf. She tried to look about for some escape only to find herself blind. She has tried many times to scream for someone only to realize that she couldn't even use her voice as an aide. Her youkai strength and power was reduced to that of a normal being. Even her usually sensitive nose was dulled by the drugs that the kidnappers had forced upon her. She was defenseless and vulnerable to any attack laid upon her. _

_            The child curled up into a ball on the straw which felt more like needles that was poking into her side and causing her more pain than it normally should have. Her mind drifted away into a place that it could find peace, and her eyes began to droop ever so slightly. However, when she realized that she was falling asleep, she jerked awake and her blank gaze returned to a black nothing. _

_            The tears begun to fall on her already stained face. She hated this place, hated her captors, hated herself, hated her family. She once again buried her face in her arms and began to cry softly hoping that the guards outside the door who stood there all day and night would not hear her whimpering. Why did she have to be the daughter to a powerful taiyoukai? Why couldn't she just be normal? If she was just like all the other children, she would be outside playing right not if it was the afternoon. If it was night, she would be listening to her mother read or tell her bedtime stories. Instead she had to be Kagome, the daughter of Higurashi._

_            The daughter that had so many expectations to live up to, and yet had to deal with much more prejudice than the other heirs because she was a girl. The daughter who wanted to play with the other children, but instead was stuck inside a classroom and had to listen to a tutor who had a voice that could put the most attentive person asleep. The daughter who wanted a mother who wanted to play with her yet had a mother who scolded her for picking up a doll instead of a book. The daughter who wanted a father who held her close and paid attention to her, but got a father who was always busy with his work. The daughter who wanted to go on an adventure but instead was being held for ransom. She was the daughter who had everything but nothing going for her._

_            That night the monsters receding in her mind took hold of her innocence and turned a part of her pure heart to a darkness that would frighten even the most hard-hearted person. _

            Kagome awoke with a start as her nightmare began to replay itself in her mind. Her breathing was shallow and came in quick bursts. She clutched the sides of her head trying to force the memories out of her mind.

            _The girl was lying on the ground in front of the person who ordered her capture. With her disabilities, she had no idea who was standing before ordering her torture. She didn't know what he (or she) looked like, what their voice sounded like, nothing. It was these times, when trying to recover from a humiliating session of abuse, did she feel the most betrayed._

_            Where were her parents? Why wasn't anyone helping her? The questions that raced through her mind usually brought more pain than the actual physical abuse. She could feel the hands caressing her face as if apologizing then quickly and harshly produced another bruise on her human-like skin. She cried out in pain but her cries were mute and something was forced down her throat. It burned from the moment it touched her tongue to the time it finally settled in her stomach, making her nauseous and causing her to throw up in an instant, trying unsuccessfully to remove the potion from her system._

 

_            If she could only she could find a way to keep the poison from reaching her blood but once it entered her she could never find the strength to force it back out. The hands gently patted her head as another pair grabbed her wrists as proceeded to drag her back to her cell. Her body tried desperately to keep up with the guards but failed miserably. Her body was numb except for her stomach which was still protesting to the potion that was forced upon her._

_            She was thrown into the small filthy room and she cautiously made her way over to the straw bed, gently prodding it to see if it was indeed her bed and not her bathroom. When satisfied she practically collapsed on the pile and allowed herself to fall asleep knowing that after her poisoning no one would bother to disturb her._

            Kagome cried out softly, trying not to make too much sound and alert the person in the next room to her agony. That didn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks and staining the cover until it was dark with water.  She knew what was coming next and whimpered at the thought as it began to once again repeat itself and caused her as much pain as when it originally happened. 

_            The girl sat quietly her thoughts once again taking over as she poked the food that lay at her feet. It seemed to be too long since her last poisoning. In fact it seemed to long since her last torture. There was something going on. The effects of the potion were slowly beginning to wear off. Her vision wasn't so dark, her hearing wasn't so dull, and she could even smell the strong sent of the putrid cell. Something was defiantly wrong. Her captors never let her regain her senses and yet here they were returning to her._

_            Why though? She would have been jumping up and down in glee if she hadn't been as curious as to know why her tormentors were late in her tormenting (and if her body wasn't still as weak as a human). There had to be something going on and she would be damned if she was just going to sit aside while she actually had the ability to find out what._

_            Making up her mind she slowly go to her feet and was glad that she didn't immediately fall back down. She could vaguely see the outline of the thick door that blocked her from any communication to the outside world. Carefully making her way to the door, and she was not at all surprised to find it not locked. Why was there any need to lock such a heavy door when the person inside was about as strong as a child and helpless as a new born? That wouldn't seem like a threat to anybody. She used all her strength to just get the heavy door open and gave out a small sigh when the fresh air hit her full in the face. _

_            Alright, she now knew something was wrong if there were no guards whatsoever guarding her unlocked door. She looked around and tried to figure out what the blurry dark outlines belonged to. She saw that her cell was at the end of a hallway and she turned to find a staircase leading out of the prison where she had been kept. Placing her hand on the wall to guide her, she slowly walked over to the stairs and began to ascend the steps. She sighed a bit frustrated when she step out into another hallway, and continued wandering around in a maze of hallways until she heard yelling of some sort._

_            Closing her eyes, she concentrated in the noise. Her common sense was telling her to run far away from anything that might make a squeak, but her curiosity was telling her to investigate. She didn't stay in her cell and she wasn't about to stay away from something that may help her find her way out of this place. So she once again concentrated on the noise allowing it to guide her to its source. As it got louder she realized that the potion was becoming very weak for she could hear individualized words instead of muffled screaming. _

_"Hurry!"_

_She wondered why they (whoever they were) should hurry._

_"…Fools! … Don't stand there! … Attack them!" _

_They must be under attack, but from whom? She kept her breathing slow and even as she rounded the corner where all the noise was coming from. She stopped dead in her tracks as blurred figures came to her view. She didn't recognize the room but it was huge, had to be a dinning area for there were chairs and tables filling the room. She didn't pay mush attention to the decorations that hung on the wall but tried to instead concentrate on the faces of the people who were fighting in the normally peaceful room. _

_She whimpered softly when she realized her vision was still very weak and she couldn't match any of the fuzzy faces to any names nor could see tell if they were her captors enemy or her friend. Well, your enemy's enemy must be your friend. She was thinking along the same terms as she ventured slowly into the room. She made sure that she kept close to the wall and crouched as low as possible. If they were all to busy fighting then maybe they wouldn't notice her as she made her way to the outline of a gigantic door on the opposite side of the room. She's been lucky so far, maybe her luck had finally come back to help her. _

_She however was not that lucky, or so she thought as a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and held her in the air. She let out a startled scream hoping that someone would be able to help her. The last thing expected was to hear her mother's voice whispering in her ear, "It's okay, Kagome, I'm here now and nothing is going to hurt you ever again." _

_The child was surprised and twisted in the pair of arms that were now running across the room to the door where she had just been heading. Sure enough there was her mother's face as clear as the daylight which she missed so much. She couldn't help but feel an immense sense of relief as she gripped on weakly to her mother. Now was not the time for tears though her eyes stung from them, and she tried even harder to hold on. Her mother must have sensed her movements because she held her tighter in her grasp. _

_Why was it taking so long to get out of this place? It seemed like an eternity had passed before they were standing before a pair of double doors, both opened wide as if they had been forced. If the girl felt relieved before she was at peace now. She was in her mother's comforting arms and she was sure that they were finally leaving this prison of hers. All they had to do was find their way out of the maze of halls and then they would be free. _

_A yell suddenly jerked the girl out of her peaceful state and another pair of arms tore her away from her mother's. She immediately knew that by the harsh treatment that the person holding her was not a friendly one. She looked forward and found a group surrounding her mother who was fighting desperately to get back to her. One of the men hit her hard across the face, and the girl was sure that she would pass out from the look on her mother's face. Her young eyes widened in fear as the group who were closing in closer to her mother were thrown off in all directions and in the middle of the bodies stood the same woman who had saved her. Though it wasn't her mother she was looking at, this woman had eyes red as blood and a look that insured someone's death. To her surprise the girl found herself cowering against the person who pulled her away her mother. _

_The woman stalked towards them but was briefly distracted when a few of the bodies got up and once again attacked. However she brushed them off like they were simply nuisances that needed to be dealt with.  The girl was now torn between running from her mother and running to her.     _

_Before she could even make a decision her mother was once again attacked by a group that seemingly came out of nowhere. Unfortunately, she didn't throw them off as easily as she did the last. And when the next round of attack came she wasn't able to defeat them all. _

_All the girl could do was watch as her own mother who was fighting so hard to protect her was brutality and literally torn from limb to limb until she nothing more than a bloody mess on the floor. She stared in horror at what used to be her mother, and all the pent up emotions inside of her wanted to be let free. _

_Though she couldn't see it her own eyes grew the same shade of red as her mother's did. Her fangs which were dulled to that of a human became sharper and elongated. Her senses were not only back to normal but now seemed to be going to their greatest extent. Her mind which had been numb was now concentrating on only one thing revenge. _

_The hall which she was in ran red with blood spilt by the hands of a once innocent girl. That day an unknown force tried to finally take down one of the Taiyoukais that protected the fair Japan but instead succeed in gaining an enemy that would one day become a force to be reckoned with. She managed to put off a war that would have happened if it had not been for her blind rage but it was only because she lost one of the most cherished people in her life. It was also the day she vowed to find her captor and her mother's murderer and get revenge for the crimes he committed._

O.O Did I write that? Oh goodness, what has gotten into me? Well, at least part of the plot had finally been revealed. Sorry it is short. If anyone has any good tips for a new author I would love to hear them. I know pathetic but if it helps my writing then hey! I don't mind. Anyways, next chapter our favorite demon exterminator is brought in ::looks at story line:: Yea, I think that's right. Again all reviews are accepted ::hint hint:: ^^

Bye for now

~Ryuu Madoshi  


	5. New Protector

**Author's Notes:** So I was planning to throw this story away for quite some time now, it seems that my Inuyahsa faze has passed and now I'm more into other ships and other shows but to my surprise there has been a lot of readers who wished I would update. Luckily, I can say that I have the whole story in planned out and that it is merely a matter of writing that keeps me from finishing. However, it is summer now, and since I have nothing else to do besides homework and listening to my little brother yell at the video games he likes to play and watching him drool over the Video Game Vixens of the Year, I've decided that I'm going to not only try to once again start the story but finish it as well. That's defiantly not a promise. But I'm hoping that with this story done I can start with some of the other plot bunnies that have running rampant in my head, not to mention that everything I write might get eaten by the real bunny I have running rampant in my room. That's not an excuse so I will at least try to continue.

**Disclaimer: **is that I do not own Inuyasha and blah blah blah… I think you know the rest. If you don't I doubt that you actually care.

**Previously on _Miko Soul and Demon Heart_:** Kagome is kidnapped for ransom and remains in a cell until her mother comes to rescue her but dies in the attempt. Kagome is devastated by the loss and has vowed revenge. If you want more…go back and read.

Kagome sat up and cleared her head when she heard the roster's call of the coming morning. She figured she had an hour or so before her training with her master began. _Best if I take a bath first, _hopefully the cleansing of her body would help the cleansing of her mind. Or something to the same extent. _I'm beginning to sound like the master and Lady Kaede._ The former was also her teacher but instead of teaching her the art of fighting, she taught the art of healing.

Kagome gathered her few belongings she had within the village and ventured to the center of town where the town bath was located. A few mothers had their newborns when she entered. It was convenient for mothers to wash their babes while they were still resting, and before the crowd came into awaked the sleeping children. Kagome quietly disrobed herself, respecting the mothers' right to be there, and slipped into the water.

"Surprise, surprise. Look who's here." Kagome grinned up at her training partner and best friend in the village. In fact, her best friend that was not a youkai. Another teen with black hair bound up in a ponytail, joined the girl. Sango nodded her head in greeting towards the mothers before turning to her friend again. "It is not a surprise I should find you here."

"But it is to see you here, Sango. Finally decided that you should relax in the morning instead of warming up?" Kagome was lathering herself up with soaps that were placed in the bathhouse. She smiled and tossed it over to Sango who caught it easily.

"Of course not, I came because I wanted to see you." A look over concern washed over the girl. "You had your nightmare last night, didn't you?"

Kagome smiled, hoping to reassure her friend, and turned away, "Now why would you say that?"

"Because you weren't snoring." Kagome gasped and splashed water at her friend, "I do NOT snore."

Sango rolled her eyes, "Why didn't you go to Masa or Lady Kaede? They're supposed to help you."

"I know but it's been so long since I've had it and even longer since when it actually happened. It was simply a shock for it to come back all of a sudden." Kagome wrapped her arms around herself. Sango did the same and hug her tightly. "You can always come to me."

"I know, Sango. Thanks."

"Come on, let's get going before my dad gives another lecture on how a warrior should never be late to training."

They had both groaned when had heard that they were to go hunting for the day. "But, Father, that it training for young ones new to battle."

Sango had tried to her friend and herself out of such a humiliating task, but her father was a stubborn man and, as the head of the village, he had plenty of authority to support that. "It is attitude like that that makes me think if either of you truly wish to finish learning."

Kagome tried her luck, "That is not what Sango meant, Master. It's just that we are not used to doing chores for our training."

"The young warriors are advancing in their training and the villagers are already at work. I thought that you two would not mind taking the burden of the village and helping others." The two girls sighed and went to gather the hunting gear. Sango knew when not to test her father's patience. Kagome knew, that besides her escort and teacher from the palace, she was the only demon in the entire village. This was not normal considering that it was a taijiya village, and knew not to push her luck.

There was a five mile radius that the hunters usually chose to look for prey. Both Sango and Kagome knew the land well from their early days of training. So they stalked through the well-known terrain and set up a temporary camp to keep any goods that they found. They started in the same direction, talking about the unfairness of it all. Surly, trainees as skilled as themselves should not have to do such demeaning tasks. "Well," Kagome began, "Like Masa always says, 'A good lord knows when to royal and when to be a peasant.'"

"Yes, but you're the princess and the lion is not my teacher."

Kagome smiled and shrugged, "You forgot old. Masa is an old lion youkai that is not your teacher."

"No respect for the elders. We should split up, we'll never catch anything if we keep talking."

They headed in different directions. Occasionally one or the other would venture back to the camp to deliver meat or edible plants. The afternoon passed with a dull slowness and Kagome thought that she would rather be in her lessons with Masa then hunting right now. She began to laugh at that, wishing Sango was there to listen to her insanity.

It seemed as if her wish was going to be answered for, moments later, she heard footsteps heading her way. She turned and waiting for the other and was surprised to see instead a young male who was known in the village to deliver messages the fastest. He looked up at her with worry, "The village has been attacked. The lord wishes to speak of you." But before Kagome sped away she asked the man if everyone had come out alive. He only said that this has been the worst attack yet. The village has been under attack more than usual lately. Of course, there were always youkai wishing for revenge and bandits trying to raid, but in the recent attacks, youkais and ningens alike seem to have been going after one thing. Unfortunately, no one Sango or Kagome talked to knew what they were after.

She raced the five miles at her fastest pace not even breaking a sweat or wasting her energy. She stopped in front of the gate that was the only entrance to the village, unless you scaled the walls or broke them down. She called up to one of the guards who recognized her and instantly opened the gate. She raced inside and looked around.

She wasn't happy by what she saw. Some of the villagers lay injured and many were dead. Though she was satisfied to see that most were up and walking and the village was still intact, and it looked as if the enemy had been completely eradicated.

She saw a small boy of about eleven ran up to her, "Kagome, Father wants to see you."

She turned to Sango's younger brother, "So I've heard but he can wait. How is everything out here. Enough herbs? Do you need any help? Where's Sango?"

Kohaku smiled; Kagome and Masa were the only demons to step in the village and walk back out in one piece. He had to admit that these demons were unlike any he's seen and he has grown attached to both. "Where fine out here, everything is under control, or as controlled as it can be after an attack. And Sango is with my father, I think."

Kagome smiled sadly, "Understood. If you could point me in the right direction."

Kohaku nodded and pointed to one of the houses, then went off to help the wounded. It was then that Kagome noticed Kohaku's shoulder which had been cut obviously from a lower class demon.

'If they're allowing him to fight then things must be getting worse.' Kagome made her way through the mess, stopping at times to give out advice or help someone. All of the villagers happily accepted her help, for they all respected her even if she was a demon.

She stopped hesitantly at the door before entering. The inside looked like a shrine but the outside was fortified like all the other buildings. She could see Sango and her father standing near what looked like a glowing round stone. Kagome stepped closer to see it better. The stone was emanating a powerful, purplish-pink energy, and was so small that her whole hand could cover it.

Kagome stepped forward again, somewhat intrigued by the little jewel. She then stopped remembering her place in the village. She wasn't the Great Lord's daughter inside these walls but a lowly demon who, if took a wrong move, could be dead in less than a minute, if she was a weak demon. But even Kagome couldn't take on a whole village by herself, even if it was full of humans.

So she stopped and bowed to the lord she spoke to only hours ago and gave Sango a friendly smile, which she returned. She noticed something different in the man's eyes. They usually held caution, as if he could never trust his own apprentice, but those eyes now held only the highest respect.

Kagome bowed again, "My lord if I knew that there was an attack I would have come sooner. But I had no knowledge until the messenger was sent to find me."

The man nodded his head, "I know that you, both of you, would have helped. But you may help the village even more if you accept what I have to offer."

He carefully took out the jewel that had held Kagome's curiosity. She scolded herself and made sure that her intrigue didn't get her into too much trouble, 'Remember, Kagome, curiosity killed the neko, and you ARE a neko youkai after all.' She turned her attention fully to the lord who was holding the jewel.

"This," he began. "is the notorious Shikon Jewel. I'm sure your already aware that it can grant any wish, but at a price. However you may not know that this Jewel was created by the Lady, though no one is exactly sure why, who ruled the North lands so long ago. She was a powerful miko who had gained the respect of everyone. When she died many evil ningens and youkais got a hold on it, but when a member of this village exterminated one of the youkais, the responsibility to protect it rested on our shoulders. However, as you can see we are now unable to protect the jewel as well as protect our home. Too many have come in search of this jewel, and each group has been more powerful than the last."

Kagome looked at the man confused, "Excuse me, sir, but what does any of this have to do with me?"

His hold on the jewel tightened and he walked up to her, took her hand and gently placed the jewel on her palm. Kagome instinctively closed her fist, firmly holding the jewel in place.

"I want you be the Shikon Jewel's protector, you are strong as a youkai, wise and powerful as a miko, but you are kinder than any I have met and you place yourself after others. You might be the only person who can guard the jewel safely without tainting it. Will you accept my offer?"

Kagome carefully studied the man before then the jewel that lay in her now opened palm. This was just going to be another responsibility that would hang over her. She remembered all the people who were killed and the buildings that were destroyed in the village. She also recalled the cut on Kohaku, and how he reminded her of Souta. That was more than enough to accept this new burden.

"Of course I'll say yes to your offer. If it means that the village will be safer than I readily take the Shikon no Tama. And I swear on my life that I will never use this power for evil or let evil take it away from me."

Sango smiled at her friend who was now the protector of the Shikon Jewel. Her father thanking Kagome, just nodded.

Kagome decided the next day, after her lessons with Masa, she would pay a visit to Lady Kaede. The village that she protected was near the palace, a good eight miles away from her current residence. She talked with her Master to see if he would her allow her to leave village. She was under his teachings, therefore, under his ruling. What he said was what was done.

Of course, it wouldn't be a problem…that is if she made up for the training she was going to miss. She thought a moment. _Let's say half a day's for travel, the next is spent with Lady Kaede. I'll need to visit my family…so that might be two or three days and the travel back._ There was a pause in her thinking before she sighed, she would be making up for five days, six is she was slow. However, she agreed to the terms and set off right after Masa let her leave the comforts of his lecturing room.

She was right in her calculations, and she arrived near the village around dawn. When she arrived a few villagers fled at the sight of her. She was, after all, one of the most powerful youkais in the Eastern realm.

More however just went about their business but they too were wary when she approached. Kagome sighed; this isn't what she wanted. She didn't want to be feared by any humans, only by evil men and wicked youkais. But that wasn't how it happened; any one who knew her held either fear or respect for her, most times it was both.

She ignored the villagers and made her way to Kaede's hut, which was near the shrine in the village. Kagome saw Kaede gathering some herbs from her garden. She walked up to the huddled lady.

"When will you stop with the herbs, Lady Kaede? I would think by now that you would have enough to choke several horses."

The old lady just kept on tending to her garden, "When will ye learn, young one, 'tis not the only village around these parts with ill-stricken villagers." Kagome smiled, this lady had been the person to teach Kagome patience. 'The gods know that she has enough of that and she when she wants to she can be as stubborn as a jack…'

"Now child, what was it that ye came to me for," replied the old lady, standing up with a bunch of herbs gathered in her arms, "Hopefully it just wasn't to bother me about my herbs, now was it."

Kagome followed as Kaede walked into her hut, "No it's much more important than that. You know I wouldn't waste what precious time you have."

Kaede looked up for her herbs that she was sorting, and raised an eyebrow, "Oh come on," Kagome exclaimed, "I know you have better things to do than to baby-sit a princess." Kaede laughed and went back to her herbs.

"Actually I came on very important business," at this Kaede looked up at her once again. Kagome opened her clenched fist, her knuckles had started to turn white because she was holding it so hard. She could see Lady Kaede's eyes widen in surprise. "The responsibility for the Shikon Jewel rests on my shoulders. The taijiya's village couldn't protect it any more. So they gave me the job"

"I see, and how do ye expect me to help. I am but a protector of this village who is getting on in years."

Kagome nodded her head, "I know that, but you also trained me and you are a miko after all. I need a spell that will that can bind the jewel to me." the old miko looked up, a bit confused. Kagome rethought her statement.

"All right you know since any and every evil thing that has heard of the jewel most likely wants it for themselves? Well, the word is going to get around that the village isn't protecting it any more. As soon they figure out that only one person is going to protect it than many will try to steal it. What I'm thinking will happen is that one of them will try to get me unconscious than just take the jewel right off my neck and be off with it. I need a spell or something to prevent that from happening."

Kagome knew she had finally explained herself clearly enough because when she finished Kaede got up and left through the doorway leading to the back of the hut. She reentered the room a little while latter with something dangling from her hand. It was a necklace of prayer breads.

The beads were small like pearls and there were spaces between them, and they were pink but didn't have that purple hue like the jewel. Kagome handed the jewel to Kaede who attached it to the necklace.

She then turned back to Kagome, "I need to gather some of your energy."

Kagome nodded, closed her eyes and concentrated on her energy while Kaede strung it among the beads. When she was finished, they necklace was glowing bluish-pink from the energy of the Shikon Jewel and Kagome's own spirit energy. Kagome took the necklace from Kaede and placed it around her neck.

Kaede looked at Kagome, "The necklace will not move from your neck unless you wish it to or unless your powers are drained."

Kagome thought carefully about when any of those things might happened, "Ok, since I promised I would always protect the jewel than I won't allow it to be removed so the only other thing is if I'm wiped out in a battle or someone or thing has been able to kill me."

Kaede nodded her head. Kagome smiled, "So all I need to do it avoid getting killed or defeated in battle. How hard could that be? Besides I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to attack me." Kaede gave her a wary look but escorted her to the front and bided her a good-bye.

It was barely two days after Kagome became the Shikon's protector that a pact if hyenas decided to pay her a visit. They began to attack the palace, but when they started ranting for the Shikon Jewel Kagome made her way out of the castle to an open meadow that was some ways away. Of course there were plenty of areas to battle that were closer to the castle but Kagome was in the mood for a good run and she knew that the run would tire the hyenas out.

So leading the hyenas far away from the castle wasn't only tactically practical but it was also for her own amusement. Defeating the pack was pretty easy once Kagome figured out that there was only one real hyena and the rest were basically illusionary copies that could hide the real hyena. Kagome might have been seriously hurt, that is if she didn't realize that the real hyena demon had black pupils while all the others had red. She left the battlefield pretty much unscathed except for one or two minor bruises.

What was bothering Kagome while taking her time to get back to her home was something the demon had said. It was near the end of the battle and Kagome had landed a serious blow to the hyena's side. It was lying on the ground panting for air. Kagome walked up to it and picked it up with her tail around its throat. She asked it why it came after the jewel.

The hyena started laughing hysterically in a high-pitched bark that hurt Kagome's sensitive ears. Through the barking she could hear the dying dog say something like "I came after the jewel for my master. My master wanted the Shikon so my master ordered me to retrieve it. But don't think that because I die no more will come. Oh, no. My master controls many, and the best thing is that you can't stop my master."

The laughing then again started, but Kagome quickly ended the hyena's life and then left it in the field. Now walking back to her home she wondering if the hyena was bluffing about the whole master thing in hopes of mercy. But Kagome was not only known for her strength as a demon, a female demon at that, but also the kindness and mercy she gave. But most didn't realize that her mercy was only reserved for those who deserved it.

Kagome sighed, _I don't think the stupid dog was faking it. Something didn't seem right about he was willing to give up his life. And he never gave any hint to who his 'master' might be. Not even a he or she. If he was making the whole thing up then he most likely would have blamed it on someone else in order to save his own life_.

_Also there-there was something about his eyes. They seemed almost devoid of any thought. But what am I thinking? I'm probably just being paranoid…still I should be more careful in case is this 'master' is real_.

A few weeks passed and during that time several large groups of demons have tried to invade the Eastern boarders. The groups usually consisted of lower class demons who were lead by one powerful demon. Though the attacks were unusual, they were never considered any threat and were easily taken care of by Lord Higurashi's soldiers. But as the weeks passed the attacks became bolder and were consisting of more youkais, powerful or not. It was around this time Lord Higurashi called Kagome back to the palace.

"You've trained enough under the taijiya master. It is time for you to come home where it is safe. It is where you belong." So she went, continued training by herself, with frequent visits from Sango, and continued to learn under Masa. Despite the attacks that still continued.

One particular invasion had worried Kagome. One of the lesser lords that watched over the western border had sent a messenger to the great lord of the Eastern land who was under attack by a large group of demons. Lord Higurashi immediately sent out troops but when they came back, more than half were severely injured and a third of the group were dead. The ones who came back had reported that enemy group had kept calling for their 'master', but they never gave a single clue to whom it was.

Lord Higurashi was perturbed by this news, just as Kagome was. The attacks had always came from the South, West, or North-Western borders, but what was peculiar was that none had come from the North lands. Kagome and Lord Higurashi were conversing in the main study when they decided that it was time to take action. Lord Higurashi had sent two messengers on an errand; one to Lord Sakamoto, requesting that he join the two noble neko youkais at their home, and one to the Western lord, asking for the same thing.

A week after the messengers went out Lord Sakamoto and Shippo arrived at the palace. Both didn't look any better than Kagome or her father, who had spent restless nights trying to figure out what was going on. Kagome was out in the courtyard to greet the two kitsunes. Lord Sakamoto had looked like he aged a couple decades, while Shippo had dark circles under his eyes and a fatigue etched face showing that he too hadn't had much sleep.

Kagome walked up to Lord Sakamoto, and hugged him hello. This wasn't a big deal at all considering how close the two families were. She than turned to Shippo and also gave him a hug.

"It's been two months and you look like shit Shippo, what do you do when you don't see me?"

Shippo smiled, but instead yawned, "I usually get peace and quite, but some strange things have been happening."

Kagome looked towards the older lord, and he in turn nodded, "Peculiar. Well, I think that before anything gets done that you two should get some food in your tummies, and a nap to rest your weary eyes. Come on."

Shippo and Lord Sakamoto smiled at her as she lead them to two of the many guest rooms and ordered the servants to bring them what ever they needed. She then ordered the two to get some rest before they fall down from exhaustion. Both happily complied. Kagome then went in search for her father to see if the messenger they sent to the Western lands had come back yet.

She found him in his private study, looking over maps of the all the lands. She knocked softly before entering, and sitting before her father. He still was looking over the maps marking all the areas where invasions have taken place. Kagome studied her father carefully and noticed that he looked even more worn than Lord Sakamoto. Fed up with waiting she stood and slammed a hand upon the desk.

"Enough," she said exasperated, "You look worse than our two guests, and sitting here hovering over these papers aren't going to help. You are to go to bed and rest, papa. You need it."

She walked behind her father and helped out of the chair and towards the door, while he was muttering excuses on why he needed to stay. "Don't worry I'll clean up, you get some rest and we'll have the meeting tomorrow, since I'm guessing that the messenger still hasn't arrived."

She ordered one of the servants to escort her father to his room and to stay there until he got enough rest. She slowly turned back to the study, and walked to the desk. The papers were scattered all over the top. She sighed and began to organize the papers, separating the maps and documents. Something caught her eye though; it was a letter addressed to her father from the lord of the Western lands.

Her father rarely talked of him, but she knew that he was a inu youkai, and a obnoxious one at that. She knew that she shouldn't be reading his personal letters but she couldn't help herself, the letter was rather old, so it must have some sort of sentimental value. She read the letter quickly:

_Higurashi,_

_I want to tell you that I apologize for what has happened at your daughter's celebration. I don't know why I laughed at her speech, nor do many others. You have got to understand though that she is talking of unheard things. 'Joining the high and lower classes together' and 'forming a friendship between civilized youkais and ningens'. Those are big ideas coming from such a small girl. I only realize how rude I was when my son chewed me out for my behavior. Can you believe that? Me, the great lord of the Western lands getting yelled at by a boy. But he was right, and so I once again apologize for my behavior. _

_Do me a favor and make sure that that girl grows up strong because though what she said may seem a little unrealistic, she is what this society needs, and she will have many who oppose her. Like Asahiko, for example. He wasn't to happy about what she said but I guess it doesn't matter what he thinks, but his son, Hojo, also agrees. So just make sure that she grows up strong enough to defend herself and the ones she wishes to help. Then again maybe I shouldn't be talking, I have enough troubles raising my own two kids. But what's worse a raising two boys or a girl and boy? Oh, well, guess they can both be troublesome. Hope you don't hold a grudge but I'll understand if you do._

_Sincerely,_

_The Great Lord of the Western lands_

_Inutaisho_

_Interesting. Maybe this Western lord isn't as bad as people think._Kagome thought to herself as she once again went about fixing her father's desk. When everything was done, she carefully picked up a map of the Western realm.

_We sent out the messenger about a week ago, a least he should have been back by now. I wonder if something went wrong?_But she wasn't going to think about it for she also would need some rest before the meeting tomorrow. So she placed the map back on the desk and slipped out the study and walked wearily to her room.

**Author's Note: **Alright, I know that this is totally different from last chapter but it's supposed to be. Don't worry I didn't skip a chapter or anything, although I'm not very happy with how this chapter turned out. It just doesn't seem to "flow" as well as the others. Anyways, her whole "darkness possessing her heart" thing might come later. And her mother isn't mentioned because, well, her mother isn't really that big of a character. There may be confusion as to why she is at Sango's village and I probably should have explained it but it really doesn't have to do with the story so I thought it unnecessary. But if you are confused: Lord Higuarashi asked a favor of Sango's father, the man would train and protect Kagome while she tried to recover from her loss by befriending Sango. It's a sentence that I couldn't seem to fit in. Maybe I'll write a chapter of how they meet but I hadn't planned on it. Also I know I didn't write Kagome's speech, so don't go and try looking for it. The main point for the crowd laughing was because she was a girl and Inutaisho's note was to go over any other possibilities and that is really all there is of the speech. The note is more or less to shift views to the west…because we all know who lives there!

So till next time

Ryuu Madoshi


	6. Poison and Patients

**Author's Note:** I don't know if I made it clear but I really don't mind flames or insults or the like…it helps make my story better by removing errors. I must say that I'm flattered by the lack of flamers, so I really don't know why I'm complaining. And thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Anyways, I hope this chapter and the last don't see too different from the rest of the story. Truth be told, I using my first version of my story and working it into my second version, so I hope it matches…:looks over story: it seems to, but you never know.

**Disclaimer: **Look in my profile if it really matters that much to you.

**Previously on _Miko Soul and Demon Heart_: **Some training, gaining possession of the Shikon Jewel, a fight, a delayed meeting, and a note from the Taiyoukai of the West.

"Shippo, you going have to keep up if we want to get to palace before another major attack happens." Kagome stopped suddenly, waiting for her kistune friend to catch up.

He was lagging behind, and yawning in the rising sun, "Sorry, Kagome, but you know I'm not a morning person. I don't function properly when a certain youkai drags me away from a very pleasant dream."

Kagome smiled wickedly, "Was the dream about Kirara and you?"

Shippo's face turned redder than his hair, which caused Kagome to start laughing. Shippo threw angry glares at Kagome before bounding off. It has been five days since Shippo and Kagome left. They had just recently crossed the border between the Western and Eastern realms. Sometimes they walked and other times they were running at their fastest pace. It has also been almost two weeks since the Higurashi's messengers were few first sent out.

At first the two great lords just wanted to send another messenger to the inu youkai, but Shippo and Kagome convinced them that it would be faster for them to go. Of course both just wanted to travel by themselves since they were always being escorted around and this gave them the chance to go off on their own. Also neither of the young demons have been to the Western realm so this gave them the chance to sight see.

Kagome finished laughing and was running to catch up with Shippo. While running in the general direction of where the Western palace lie, Kagome was judging how long they had left until they arrived.

'We spent a day in the Western territory. It took us five days to reach our border. But then again we don't know where this guy's palace is, so we need to find it first. All right considering that, if we keep up this pace we should be there about—'

Shippo all of a sudden stopped, causing Kagome to run into him. "Shippo?"

But Kagome knew why he had stopped, not only was the site horrific so was the smell. Kagome was too wrapped up in her calculations that she didn't even notice the smell. But now it hit her sensitive nose at full force, and she had to dull her youkai senses in order to keep from passing out.

They had stumbled upon a fighting ground, a fresh fighting ground by the smell and look of it. The field was littered with bodies of youkais, dead or dying. The area looked as if nothing had survived, or if anything did, it was too exhausted or to mangled to look alive. The fighting took place in an open meadow, surround by trees on one side. On the far end of the field was a small river which was also bordered by tree, but the water looked like it wasn't even touched by the battle.

Shippo slowly entered the battlefield. Kagome slowly followed suit. Before she even stepped onto the battleground something moved by one of the many mounds of flesh. She looked a little closer, and discovered that a young youkai was still alive. But to her dismay, the demon was so badly distorted that she couldn't even tell what kind of creature it was.

She however did hear the two words come out of its mouth, "Please… kill… please"

Kagome looked sadly over the dying being. She knew that it going to have a slow death, probably infection or bleeding to death. And the creature was far to maimed to recover, so whispered a silent apology and wishing that it has a better after life, she slit the youkai's throat killing it instantly.

She gave a silent prayer to the departed one and went to catch up with Shippo, who had been looking over the rest of the field to see if there were any survivors. He called out, "Kagome! Come here!" she was there in an instant. Shippo was standing over four bodies.

One was a wolf youkai, with brown hair in a pony tail, he had several severe wounds on his legs and back. Two were inu youakais, one with white hair and the other with silver, the might have been related. The younger of the two had a broken arm and some cuts on the head and stomach. The older one had minor cuts over his body, but on his side there was a large gash. The last one was a…ningen? With black hair in a short ponytail and he had the most bruises of them all.

"Do you smell that Kagome?" Shippo asked quietly.

He bent down and began to check for pulses. She let her youkai senses intensify and she concentrated on the smells. A putrid smell came to her nose, and realized that these demons and human were poisoned, and not just a few drops but their veins must have flowing with poison to have a smell like that radiating from them.

Shippo stood up, "They're alive but barely, I think the older inu was poisoned the most but the ningen has the most open wounds."

He turned to her, "What should we do? Kill them out right or try to save them. Either way is going to be hard."

Kagome looked at the four unconscious bodies, "We have to help them. It's not our place to decide whether they die or not."

Shippo nodded in agreement. So slowly, one by one they moved the injured fighters to the forest near the river. They laid out four blankets and tried to start a fire though it was mid afternoon. They got out all the supplies they would need from the bags they had been carrying.

"Shippo, I need you to clean and wrap their wounds while I try to find some herbs for the poison. But just clean and wrap them, don't try anything else."

Shippo nodded and began his job, while Kagome went out to the forest and sniffed out herbs. She wasn't paying attention to the time but when she got back to their make-sift camp, Shippo was already done with wrapping all the wounds.

Kagome quickly checked over his work and then suggested that he go and find something to eat. He did as he told, as Kagome started to boil water so she could make her herb concoction. Shippo returned a little later with a freshly killed rabbit and started to prepare and cook it. Kagome was still trying to figure what types of medicines she should use, and also how much she should use.

Shippo handed her a bit of meat while she was still mulling over the medicine mixture, trying to remember all the things Lady Kaede had taught her. "Yes!" she exclaimed half way through the meal, finally making a mixture that should cure the poison.

"Quite unless you want to wake one of them up," Shippo silently scolded her. So she went about finishing her food and then the herb mixture.

Shippo took one whiff of the stuff and he face scrunched up, Kagome laughed, "It won't taste any better, so I hope it works or else we're going to have some very upset youkais on our tails."

Kagome went to the ningen who was dressed like a monk and held his head in the crook of her arm, and she silently nudged the medicine to his lips, which slowly opened and the mixture went easily down his throat. Shippo then rechecked his wounds and rewrapped them if they needed to be. The wolf took the herbs easily enough and so did the younger inu. Kagome carefully looked at the youkai; something about him reminded her of someone.

She carefully made her way to the older inu, which she guessed was the leader of the group. She looked over to Shippo, who was currently working on the wolf's back. If the other inu youkai reminded her of someone then this one did even more so. The thought was just out of her reach and it frustrated her to no end.

She gently placed the youkai's head in her lap and put the drink to his lips but unlike the others he didn't open his mouth to drink. So she pressed a little harder and still nothing. She sighed, and took her hand and parted his lips herself. Kagome then gently poured the concoction into his mouth. He wouldn't drink all of it and she only got half of the drink down.

'Stubborn pup, isn't he?' It was too dark to study his features closely, so she tried once again to get some more of the drink down but to no avail.

She brushed his bangs, and readjusted the wet cloth on his forehead that would help his slight temperature go down. She then laid his head back down on the blanket.

"We'll just have to try in the morning won't we?" she sighed and got up.

Shippo was already dozing off, so she decided to take the first watch and then wake him later so he could take the second. She rested herself by a near by tree and sat watching her fellow companion and her mysterious patients.

Kagome heard voices talking near the fire. She also smelt breakfast being cooked and her stomach let off a small growl. She wonder for a second why Shippo would be talking to himself.

It was three days since Shippo and Kagome first began to take care of the injured demons and monk, but they had showed no signs of waking up any time soon. Kagome took care of the poison while Shippo took care of the wounds, and Kagome usually took the first watch while forcing Shippo to take the second.

Kagome was about to drift off to sleep again when she realized that there were two different voices instead of one. Her eyes flew open and she scanned the campsite. The three wounded demons were still sound asleep, but Kagome saw Shippo engaged in a conversation with the ningen monk. Kagome blinked a bit, but slowly got up and walked over to the two.

Shippo looked up from his cooking, and stopped what he was saying and smiled, "Morning you, lazy neko. And here I was thinking that I wasn't the morning person."

Kagome was a bit relieved that Shippo hadn't used her name. They had both agreed that they would keep their identities a secret until they could figure out whether they were the presences of friends or foes.

She glared at the kistune, "You aren't a morning person but I'm the one who has been staying up all night." Shippo smiled and went about cooking. Kagome sat in front of the monk who currently held an amused look.

"How are you feeling? Better I hope."

The monk nodded his head, "I'm feeling fine, my lady. So is it true that you and your companion, who has not yet revealed his name, are the ones who have been taking care of us?" the monk waved his hand towards himself and the others.

Kagome shook her head, "Yes, we are the ones who have been treating you. And as for us not telling you are names, well, it's for your own safety as much as ours." The monk's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Is that so? Well, my good lady, I'm Miroku, nothing but a wandering monk." He was going to stand and bow to he immediately hissed in pain and sat back down.

Kagome sighed, "I wouldn't try to move to much, sir monk, lest you want to reopen your fragile wounds." she paused for a second, looking at the monk, then the youkais and back, "Excuse me for asking, but are these demons your allies or enemies? We need to know so we can avoid any conflict."

Miroku smiled, "These are my friends, but in this group, avoiding conflicts is next to the impossible. But you'll see once they wake up. Speaking of which do you know when they will?"

"Sadly, I do not. In fact I though that you would be the last one to wake up though you had less poison than then others, you had a lot more wounds then them, and not to mention the fact that your ningen. No offense."

Miroku nodded, his head and smiled, "None taken my good lady."

Shippo interrupted their conversation in exchange for breakfast. Kagome told Miroku that he should eat enough to satisfy because he needed to take the herb potion and she didn't know how that would react with a full stomach.

So after breakfast, Shippo and Kagome went about tending their patients and telling Miroku to stay put whenever he tried to get up and help. Miroku told them very little about his companions saying that it was their choice on whether Kagome and Shippo should learn about them.

It seemed reasonable enough since Kagome and Shippo didn't even tell him their names. But Miroku gladly gave out any information on him, but again was vague when it came to mentioning the others. In turn the two conscious youkais gave him an ambiguous description of their past together, leaving out any clues that might lead to their identity.

Later that day, two others awoke and came out of their state of unconsciousness. Miroku was right in saying that conflict seemed impossible to avoid. The first one to wake was the younger inu. The three figures sat around the extinguished fire talking over little things, just small talk really. Shippo and Kagome held no threat what so ever, but the young dog demon seemed to think other wise.

The youkai was barely awake so no one noticed him when his eyes flew open and scanned the campsite. As soon as he saw Kagome and Shippo talking peacefully to Miroku, he stood up quickly which caused his head to spin and instead of staying up he fell back down again. Unfortunately, he fell with his still healing arm beneath him. He gave out a loud cry which startled the ningen, and caused the youkais to cover their sensitive ears in pain.

Kagome quickly regained her composure, and sprang up to help the injured. But as soon she had started to approach, he sat upright right and unsheathed his sword, pointing it directly at Kagome.

When she saw this she became annoyed and shouted, "Hey you! Who do you think you are! I was only trying to help and you go and draw a sword. Is there something messed up in that white head of yours?"

The white haired youkai wouldn't take that sitting down, so again he raised, except slower this time, "Excuse me! But who do you think you are? For all I know you could be one of the enemies that attacked us in the first place."

At this comment, Miroku spoke up, "No, they aren't the enemies. They have been treating both your wounds, mine, and the others." The boy looked around to the other two and sat back down, while sheathing his sword and holding his arm in pain.

"Ok, wench, who exactly are you?" The demon looked quite perturbed.

Kagome smiled her gracious smile, calmed down a bit and replied gently, "Are you the leader of this little group?"

The demon grew even more annoyed, "What does that have anything to do with who you are?"

She smiled while handing him her herbal mixture, "Do try to drink this. This will help the pain."

"Ho, wench. Just who do you think you are?" Kagome smiled at him again, which caused any annoyance to suddenly disappeared, much to his surprise. She pressed the drink to his mouth, his hand came up and grabbed the cup and drank the fluid down.

He then glared at the girl, "There you happy, girl. And don't you DARE think that we're finished, because—" he was interrupted a yet another new voice.

"Oh, shut your face for once, Inuyasha. Here I thought I could recover in peace and in the presence of this young beauty but no, I have to listen to you, mutt."

The young inu youkai, Inuyasha, turned to the wolf youkai who had interrupted him. "What was that Kouga? If you have something to say, say it to my face, wolf-boy."

'Well, at least I learned their names,' Kagome thought a little shocked by how these two reacted to each other even though they had both just woken up, and she was blushing a bit from the comment that the wolf made.

Miroku and Shippo were obviously just cracking up about the whole thing and she shot them both a warning glare, which didn't do anything except make them more amused. She sighed and stood between the two now standing , but still injured demons.

"Boys, Boys. Please, unless you want to reopen your wounds, I think you should sit down. Boys. Please clam down. Hello? HEY! I'm talking to you two!" That defiantly shut the youkais up, but it caused Miroku and Shippo to start laughing.

Sighing, frustrated, she walked over to Inuyasha and pushed him to the ground and told to him stay, unless he wanted to get his butt kicked. Kagome then told Miroku and Shippo that if they didn't stop laughing that they would also taste the ground. Out of the three only Shippo took the threat seriously, which was to be expected, since the others didn't know who she was.

She made her way to the still standing wolf demon, Kouga. "Please if you take a seat, and if you both stop this little quarrel, then you both will be better sooner and on your way."

Kouga sat down and Kagome sighing with relief followed suit. She looked curiously at the injured people, and then at the still unconscious inu that she was sitting next to. She looked towards her group who in turn where watching her cautiously.

She gave them all a brilliant smile, and said cheerfully, "Well, now that that is over, why don't you tell me about yourselves."

And that's how Kagome met Inuyasha who was hot-headed and Kouga who liked to provoke Inuyasha, discovered Miroku was a lecherous monk, and made three friends that would stand by her side for the rest of her life.

But she couldn't held but wonder who the mysterious older inu youkai, who she thought was the actual leader of the group, reminded her so much of. But she would learn soon enough because the mysterious stranger was slowly becoming aware of his surroundings, and was gradually coming out of the darkness that has claimed for the past few days.

**Author's Note: **If you don't know who the mysterious leader is…what are you doing here? Anyways, I tried to keep everyone in character, and hopefully I did. That statement I made about finishing the story before summer ending? Yeah, that's shot, and I won't make any more comments about when I'm finishing this. Knowing my luck, something will happen and all my ideas will be lost…but let's hope not. I could make excuses but I won't because I'm too ashamed.

Ryuu Madoshi


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